During the visit to Kovdor, Governor of the Murmansk Region Andrey Chibis and Chairman of the Board of Directors of EuroChem Igor Nechaev visited the apatite-staffelite ore deposit and a complex for processing these ores, a source of mineral raw materials for the production of apatite concentrate.
Kovdorsky GOK is a part of the EuroChem Mineral and Chemical Company. Valery Kuletsky, Executive Director and Alexey Danilkin, Technical Director of the enterprise, spoke about the work of the apatite-staffelite ore processing complex, a priority investment project of the Murmansk region, the development of the ASHR quarry and the prospects of the combine.
Apatite-staffelite ore is mined in an open-pit manner. According to the company's estimates, the reserves of the field amount to more than 25 million tons. Up to 5 million tons of ore are mined here annually, from which apatite and iron ore concentrate are produced.
The apatite-staffelite ore processing complex began its work in February 2015, and produces 100,000 tons of iron ore concentrate and about 600,000 tons of apatite concentrate per year.
It should be noted that today Kovdorsky GOK is the second largest producer of apatite concentrate in Russia and the only producer of baddeleyite concentrate in the world, which is used in the creation of refractory materials.
The head of the region stressed that comprehensive work has been carried out for 5 years to modernize the Kovdorsky GOK.
"The agreement with investments of more than 100 billion rubles, which was concluded at a difficult time for the country, will extend the work of the plant until at least 2047. A quarter of this amount has already been invested in modernization," Andrei Chibis noted, stressing that mining with their subsequent processing forms the basis of the economy of our region, since the Kola Arctic has a rich natural resource potential.
For reference:
EuroChem is one of the world's largest producers of mineral fertilizers. Its enterprises produce mainly nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers, as well as organic synthesis products and iron ore concentrate. EuroChem is a vertically integrated company with a wide range of activities: from mining and hydrocarbons to production, logistics and distribution of fertilizers.
/ Ministry of Information Policy of the Murmansk Region /